Patrick and Hyatt became empty-nesters went their second daughter left for school, and they quickly saw a need to declutter and repurpose their house to accommodate new needs. They contacted Emily Prugar of M House designs to help them redesign on a budget over the course of a year.

The challenge to Emily was first to streamline the home office now that the girls are away at school. The room was a stashing room for old furniture and projects, but Emily turned it into a space for desks for both Patrick and Hyatt, and for a reading corner. Now both of them can work in the space and enjoy the view out of the windows.

Emily was also tasked with redoing the girls' rooms while sticking to the paint choices that they had chosen when they were young—to honor their choices and make them feel welcome when back at home.

The project then extended to all the rooms in the house. Emily helped choose paint colors and a few furniture choices for the family room and kitchen. The highlight of the project was pulling Hyatt's Chintz China out of storage and into the light. Most pieces were put into display cases, but some Emily also hung on the wall.

She then helped Patrick and Hyatt edit, change light fixtures, upholstery, and rugs throughout the house. The couple says that "Emily can perform miracles with very little"—a true testament to the power or rearranging, editing, and updating for a fresh look with less.